Ho Chi Minh City is the biggest city in Vietnam, placed near the delta of the Mekong River. In early times it was the key port of Cambodia, before being occupied by the Vietnamese in the 16th century. Previously under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochin China, Ho Chi Minh City began as a fishing village known as Prey Nokor. The area that the city now occupies was initially marshland, and was inhabited by Khmer people for centuries before the arrival of the Vietnamese. It grew to become a trading post and the chief port of the Kingdom of Cambodia. In 1954, the French were defeated by the Communist Viet Minh in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, and pulled out of Vietnam. At the end of the Vietnam War, in 1975, the city came under the control of the North Vietnamese Army. In the U.S. this event is frequently called the "Fall of Saigon," while in Vietnam it is called the "Liberation of Saigon." Today, the city's core is still decorated with wide stylish boulevards and historic French colonial buildings. Visitors can also enjoy various non-local cuisines, from Japanese sushi to Texan barbecue.
When you come to Ho Chi Minh City you should go visit the Tao Dan Cultural Park. Tao Dan Cultural Park has long been an entertainment and recreational location for Saigonese. With an area of about 10 acres and more than 1,000 trees.
If you want to learn a little about Vietnamese history you should visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum. This place has the history of Vietnam and of Ho Chi Minh himself.